Method and apparatus for producing strand package



Nov. 15, 1966' w. H. EWING 3,285,721

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STRAND PACKAGE Filed Nov. 9, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR M44 MM H flw/va Arm/aw y:

Nov. 15, 1966 I w. H. EWING 3,285,721

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STRAND PACKAGE Filed Nov. 9. 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WHHHIHUUUHIW IlIJILIUUUUUlIllIlJ INVENT'OR WILL/AM H fw/A/a BY i w. H. EWING Nov. 15, 1966 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STRAND PACKAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 9, 1962 INVENTOR MLL/AM H. fW/NG A r TOR/V5 Vs W. H. EWING Nov. 15, 1966 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STRAND PACKAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed NOV. 9, 1962 Q v /4% m %\N INVENTOR W/LL/AM H EMA/a A r TOR/W: vs

Nov. 15, 1966 'w. H. EWING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STRAND PACKAGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed NOV. 9, 1962 INVENIOR W/LL/AM H. [WM/6 BY 2 ATZORNEYS United States Patent 3,285,721 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING STRAND PACKAGE William H. Ewing, Newark, Ohio, assignor to Owens- Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 9, 1962, Ser. No. 236,504 6 Claims. '(Cl. 65-2) This invention relates to a new package of strand, particularly strand made of glass filaments, and also to a method and apparatus for producing the new strand package.

Glass strands are usually made from glass filaments attenuated from a pool of molten glass through a plurality of small orifices. The filaments are gathered in parallel relationship into the resulting strand, after being coated with a size or binder either before or at the time of gathering. The strand is then wound on a rotating tube to form the package which is similar to a spool of thread but much larger. When the strand has been wound on the tube for a predetermined :period of time to build the resulting package to a desired weight, thetube is stopped and the tube and strand are removed to complete the operation.

The package of strand has a wide variety of uses. For textile purposes, for example, the strand is subsequently unwound or run olf the tube and wound in a twisted condition on a spindle of a twister frame, which spindle subsequently can be employed in a weaving operation to produce fabric. As an example of a diversified use, the strand can be unwound from the tube and fed through a chopper which cuts the strand into short lengths for uses such as reinforcement 'of plastic materials. The package of strand may be used immediately or stored for long periods of time; it may also be used near the point where it was produced or may be shipped over long distances to other locations. In any event, the package is subject to many types of uses with many purposes.

While the strand package and method and apparatus for producing it as described above are quite satisfactory, some inherent limitations .or disadvantages exist. For one thing, as the package is being formed and the strand builds up on the tube, its peripheral speed increases which causes the filaments from the pool of glass to be more finely attenuated, with smaller diameter filaments resulting as the diameter of the package increases. Means have been designed to reduce the rotational speed of the tube as the package diameter increases, to maintain a constant surface speed, but such means have been generally unsatisfactory in one or more respects. The nature of the tubular package of strand itself has some disadvantages, occupying a large volume for a given length or weightof strand, because of the large hollow center. 'If the tube is made of smaller diameter to decrease the volume of the hollow center, other problems result, such as the requirement of an excessive rotational speed of the tube in order to maintain an economic speed .of attenuation of the filaments. Also with a smaller tube, the relative difierence in lineal speed of the filaments, due to an increased diameter as the strand builds up on the tube is accentuated. The tubular form of the strand package also requires that strand be removed or run off at a lower speed than might otherwise be possible or'desired. In addition, the end of the strand is very difiicult to find when wound'in the tubular form.

Tubular packages of strand as discussed above have also been made by cap winding apparatus, as known in the art. Although the filaments have been attenuated at a uniform rate with apparatus of this type, the resulting packages have similar disadvantages to those discussed above.

3,285,721 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 The present invention provides a new strand package which has many advantages over those heretofore known and discussed above. The new package can be made in a wide variety of shapes for diiferent applications. For example, if the strand is to be wound on a spindle of a twister frame, with many of the spindles located close together, the packages can be made in relatively long, narrow shapes so as to be easily positioned in side-by-side relationship within a space corresponding to that occupied by the twister frames. The new package also enables a large quantity of strand to occupy a small volume, because the large space in the middle of the conventional tubular package is eliminated or at least greatly reduced and also because the size of the package is substantially unlimited. The strand also can be run off the package ata faster rate because there is no tube to be rotated as the strand is removed. The ends of the strand of the new package can also be relatively easily found with one end capable of being tied to an end of the strand of a second package so that the strand of both packages can be used in an endless operation.

The present invention also provides a novel method and apparatus for producing the package, as will be discussed in detail below.

It is, therefore, a principle object of the invention to provide an improved strand package having the advantages outlined and discussed above.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for producing the improved strand package.

Many other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 'is a somewhat schematic view in elevation of apparatus for producing a strand package according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view in vertical cross section of an idler wheel constituting a component of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front view, partly in cross section, taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. .2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, front view in elevation, with parts broken away and with parts in cross section, of a pulling Wheel constituting a component of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view in cross section taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a rear view in elevation of the idler and pulling wheel, along with supporting means therefor;

FIG. 7 is a side view in elevation with parts broken away and in cross section, of the apparatus of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 'is a schematic view in elevation of part of the apparatus of FIG. 1, with the pulling wheel in a different position;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged front view in elevation of an oscillator shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a side view in elevation of the oscillator of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. f a slightly modifled oscillator;

FIG. 12 is a side view in elevation of the oscillator of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 .is a view in elevation similar to FIG. 9 of a further modified oscillator;

FIG. 14 i813. side view in elevation of the oscillator of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a schematic View in elevation similar to FIG. 1 and showing a still further modified oscillator;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view in vertical cross section 0 of the oscillator of FIG. 15;

FIG. 18 is a side view in elevation, with parts broken away, of a traversing table constituting a component of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 19 is an end view in elevation, with parts broken away, of the table shown in FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is a diagrammatic view of controls used with the table of FIGS. 18 and 19;

FIG. 21 is a view in perspective, with parts broken away, of a strand package according to the invention;

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, the overall apparatus for making and packaging glass strand is shown somewhat schematically. The equipment includes a suitable bushing 12 which is electrically heated to melt glass therein which is then attenuated through small orifices in bushing tips 14 into a multiplicity of fine filaments 16, as is well known in the art. A plurality of cooling fins 18 are located between the tips 14 to establish a proper environment around them, as is also known. The attenuated filaments 16 are pulled downwardly past a suit-able applicator 20 Which applies a binder or size thereto, after which the filaments are collected together by a gathering shoe 22 into a strand 24. The strand 24 is then pulled around an idler wheel 26 by a pulling wheel 28, both of which will be discussed in detail subsequently, as will be other components mentioned below. The strand 24 is then thrown off the pulling wheel 28 in a downward path, in which path lies an oscillator 30. The oscillator 30 periodically deflects the strand 24 to each side of the downwardly extending path with the deflections on each side of the path being quite uniform to produce relatively uniform loops or undulations 32 in the strand. The resulting wavy strand 24 continues in its downward direction into a container 34 supported on a traverse table 36 with relative movement provided between the strand 24 and the container 34 so that the strand is deposited into the container 34 in a predetermined repetitive pattern. When the strand has filled the container to a predetermined height, the container 34 is removed and replaced by an empty one, the strand being cut and a new operation started. The filled container 34 then can be used in any desired subsequent operation in the same manner as the conventional tubular packages of strand heretofore known. In this instance, however, the package has no large central opening, as does the tube, so that more strand occupies a smaller volume. The package, further, can be made in almost any desired shape so that it can be especially adapted for particular purposes and the strand can be removed from the package at much higher rates of runolf than heretofore. The package of strand also can be shipped easily after the binder has dried enough to hold the shape of the package.

The bushing 12, the binder applicator 20, and the gathering shoe 22 can be of many known designs and will not be discussed in detail. The idler 26, however, is unique in that it employs an air bearing principle for its rotatable support. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the idler 26 includes a main body 38 forming a supply nipple 40 to which a suitable air supply tube is connected, and also includes a central air manifold 42, one side of which is enclosed by a face plate 44 attached to the body 38 by screws 46. The plate 44 also forms a groove 48 with the body 38 which rotatably carries a ring 50 of graphite or the like. Upstanding annular flanges 52 on the ring 50 form an annular strand groove 54, the bottom of which is preferably at least as wide as the height of the groove to form a blunt or trapezoidal cross-sectional configuration. It has been found that if the groove 54 is generally V- shaped, the strand tends to climb the sides of it, which does not occur with the groove 54. A plurality of air passages 56 extend radially in the body 38 to connect the manifold 42 with the groove 48 to supply air to the space between the groove 48 and the ring 50, whereby the ring 50 is maintained spaced from the body 38. Toward this purpose, the inner diameter of the ring 50 exceeds the diameter of the groove 48 by approximately 0.003" and the ring 50 is spaced from the sides of the groove 48 by approximately the same amount. The ring 50 is easily rotated with this spacing and freely rotates with the strand 24 when wrapped approximately half Way around the ring, as shown in FIG. 1.

The pulling wheel 28 supplies all of the attenuating force by means of which the filaments 1 6 are attenuated from the molten glass in the bushing12, as Well as the force for moving the filaments past the other components of the overall apparatus. The pulling wheel 28 also affects the diameter of the filaments 16 to some extent because the faster it is rotated, the greater is the amount of attenuation and the finer is the diameter of the filaments 16. While the pulling wheel 28 can be of many suitable designs, it preferably is of the type shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The pulling wheel 28 includes a stationary back plate 58 having an inwardly extending shroud 60. The back plate 58 is attached to a casing of a motor 62 having a drive shaft '64 extending through the stationary back wall 58 and fastened to a hub 66 of a rotatable housing 68. The housing 68 has a multiplicity of slots or openings 70 in an annular 'wall 72 thereof to receive fingers 74 fastened to a finger wheel 76. The finger wheel 76 is rotatably supported on a stub shaft 78 mounted on the stationary back wall 58 in a position such that the fingers 74 extend through the openings 70 slightly during rotation of the pulling wheel 28. The tips of the fingers 74 thereby push the strand 24 off the surface of the annular wall 72 so that the strand is ejected tangentially from the wall 72 at this point. Otherwise, the strand has a tendency to move around and wind on the annular wall 72, particularly at higher speeds.

The tips of the fingers 74 must move at exactly the same speed as the outer surface of the annular Wall 72 or else it is inevitable that the strand 24 will slip relative to one or the other, thereby forming grooves in either the walls 72 or the tips of the fingers 74. It is, therefore, essential that the speed of the two be closely controlled. For this purpose, a driven sprocket 80 is mounted on the stub shaft 78 to drive the finger wheel 76. A timing belt 82 connects the driven sprocket 80 with a larger drive sprocket 84 which is on the motor shaft 64 and rotates with the hub 66. The timing belt 82 also extends around an idler sprocket '86 which is rotatably supported relative to the stationary back plate 57 by a stub axle 88. With this drive arrangement, the proper drive and driven sprockets 84 and 80 can be selected without being limited at all by the spacing between the motor shaft 64 and the stub shaft 78. In other words, it is no longer necessary to compromise between the number of sprocket teeth on each of the sprockets 80 and 84 in order to obtain proper spacing of the shafts 64 and 78. Hence, the peripheral velocity of the tips of the fingers 74 and that of the wall 72 can be maintained exactly equal. This has been virtually impossible heretofore with the drives previously employed for the finger wheel.

The entire pulling Wheel 28 can be rotated, including the back plate 58 and the finger wheel 76, to change the point at which the strand 24 is discharged from the pulling Wheel and, hence, the direction which the strand takes when separated. For this purpose, the motor 62 is rotatably supported in a sleeve bearing (FIGS. 6 and 7) which is bolted to a fitting 92. A supporting post 94 is affixed to the fitting 92 and also to an upper fitting 96 which is attached to a main support 98. The idler 26 also is supported through the main support 98, the body '38 being attached to a supporting plate 100 which is fastened through an arcuate flange 102 to the sleeve bearing 90. by screws 104. A collar 106 is fastened to a portion of the motor 62 and has an car 108 extending therefrom to which a clevis 110 is pivotally connected by a pin 112, with the normal position of the ear 108 being determined by an adjusting screw 113. The clevis 110 is attached to piston rod 114 of a hydraulic cylinder 116 which, in turn, is pivotally connected to cars 118 of the support 98 by a pin 120. With this arrangement, when the piston rod 114 is extended from the hydraulic cylinder 116, the motor 62 is turned in the sleeve bearing 90 which also moves the back plate 58 and the finger wheel 7-6 in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. 6. This action also changes the point of discharge of the strand so that it is directed to one side of the container 34, as shown in FIG. 8. The cylinder 116 can be actuated by the operator to move the strand to one side when the container 34 is filled :to a predetermined height or this can be done automatically by a timer, for example. When the container 34 is replaced by another one, the pulling wheel 28 is again rotated to its original position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, and the strand is then deposited in the new, empty container.

The oscillator 30, shown in more detail in FIGS. 9 and 10, is driven by a motor 122 (FIG. 1) through a hub 124. The oscillator has ten sides or edges 126 and has five indentations or recesses 128 on each face with the recesses on each face peripherally overlapping those on the opposite face, which minimizes the area of an undulating land 130 formed on the periphery of the oscillator between the recesses 128. Each of the recesses 128 is formed by a drill bit or similar cutting tool located in a plane-extending through the axis of the oscillator and lying at an angle of approximately 45thereto.

Each time the strand 24 enters oneof the recesses 128, it is thrown outwardly to one side of its path generally in the form of a loop, and is then thrown out on the opposite side when the next recess is encountered. The length of the loops varies according to the rotational speed of the oscillator 30, the lineal speed of the strand, the number of recesses on the periphery of the oscillator, and the extent to which the oscillator extends into the path of the strand. In the latter instance, it has been found that the loops tend to be longer the more the oscillator 30 is moved into the path of the strand below the pulling wheel 28. By way of example, the pulling wheel 28 can be operated 'with a peripheral velocity of 10,000 f.p..m. while the oscillator 30 has a peripheral speed of 2350 f.p.m. It extends into the path of the strand from inch to /2 inch for a 2 /2 inch diameter oscillator and is from 1 to 6 inches below the point where the strand leaves the pulling Wheel 28. The pulling wheel speed can vary between 6000 and 15,000 f.p.m. while the oscillator speed will be between 1000 and 3400 f.p.rn. Excessively high speeds of the oscillator will break filaments and disperse or spread the strand into individual filaments While excessively low speeds will disperse or spread it.

With the oscillator of FIGS. 9 and 10, the strand tends to be thrown out in closed loops or figure eight configurations. This occurs because the leading edge of each of the recesses 128 tends to throw the strand initially in the direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the oscillator whereas the trailing edge of the same recess tends to throw the strand in the direction of rotation, whereby the strand contacting the trailing edge will tend to be thrown forwardly of the strand contacting the leading edge. Consequently, the figure eight pattern tends to result when the strand reaches the collecting surface such as the bottom of the container 34. The loops are not perfectly uniform, by any means, because of such factors as windage and because the path of the 'strand thrown from the pulling wheel 28 tends to vary slightly.

A modified oscillator 132 is illustrated in FIGS. 11

and 12. The oscillator 132 includes ten sides 134 and ten indentations or recesses 136, five on each face of the oscillator 132. The recesses 136 again overlap peripherally to minimize the area of an undulating land 138 therebetween and also extend over the entire width of the oscillator 132. The recesses 136 also differ from the recesses 128 in that they are not symmetrical to a radius of the oscillator, which enables the strand 24 to be contacted: more gently or smoothly. The asymmetrical configuration of the recesses 136 is established simply by moving the axis of the oscillator 132 laterally a short distance so that a vertical plane or center line through the cutter no longer passes through the axis of the oscillator, but is spaced therefrom, as indicated in FIG. 11. The recesses 136 thereby tend to be more symmetrically disposed with respect to the path of the strand, which is also spaced from the axis of the oscillator, as shown in FIG. .1. The operation of the oscillator 132 otherwise is the same as that .of the-oscillator 30.

.A further modified, four-sided oscillator 140 is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. This oscillator has opposed stranddeflecting surfaces 142 and 144 which slope in opposite directions, lying at angles of about 45 to the axis of the oscillator 140. The oscillator 1'40 rotates in the same manner as the oscillators 30 and 132 but does not tend to throw the strand in closed loops of figure eight configuration. 'In this instance, the surfaces 142 and 144 simply deflect the strand 24 in generally :U-shaped loops or undulations extending on each side of the path of strand.

A further modified oscillator 146 is shown in FIGS. 15, 16 and 17, with the relative size of it illustrated in FIG. 15. The oscillator 146 includes a porous metal tube 148 having diametrically opposed strand contacting surfaces to deflect the strand on each side of its path as the tube is oscillated. The upper end of the tube 148 is afiixed to a pivot ball 150 which is rotatably held in a ball socket 152 to provide a swivel or pivoted joint for the tube 148. A cylindrical casing 154 is located around the porous tube 148 to provide an annular manifold to which air can be supplied through a fitting 156 'from a suitable flexible supply tube. The air passes through the porous tube 148 and establishes a layer of air on the inner surface thereof so that the strand 24 will not directly contact the surface of the tube 148 and be damaged as it passes through it. The tube 148, along with the casing 154 and the pivot ball 150 are oscillated through a suitable link 158 and an eccentric 160 rotated by a motor 162.

The container 34 can be of any suitable shape, preferably conforming to the size and shape of the final package. The container can be fabricated from metal, for example, or can be molded of plastic material. Regardless of the shape, the container always provides a strand-collecting surface positioned laterally to the path of the strand.

The tran-sversing table 36 can be of many suitable designs, it being necessary only that the relative motion between the strand and the container be repetitive with the strand being deposited in the container 34 in a predetermined pattern and preferably along a repetitive path. It is also preferred that part of the relative motion be in one direction parallel to an outer surface of the package and that another part be in a second direction lying at a sharp angle to the first. The traversing table 36 is specifically designed for a rectangular package and the rectangular container 34. As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the table includes a holder 164 mounted on a top supporting plate 166 which includes legs 168 having sleeve bearings 170 slidably supported on lateral ways 172. The ways 172 are supported byend members 174 mounted on an intermediate supporting plate 176. The top supporting plate 166 is moved along the lateral ways 172 by two opposed hydraulic cylinders 178 and 180 having piston rods 182 and 184 attached by a connection 186. The first cylinder 178 is fastened to the intermediate plate 176 by a tab 188 while the second cylinder 180 is fastened to the supporting plate 166 by a tab 190. The combined strokes of the piston rods 182 and 184 preferably are slightly less than the width of the container 34 so that when both of the piston rods 182 and 184 are moved from their fully retracted to their fully extended positions, the container 34 moves laterally a distance equal to slightly less than its width and the supporting plate 166 moves to a point near the opposite end of the ways 172. The cylinders 178 and 180 are shown one retracted and one extended in FIG. 19 with the holder 164 movable by them a distance and direction approximately as indicated by the arrows.

The intermediate plate 176 also has legs 192 with sleeve bearings 194 slidably mounted on longitudinal ways 196. The latter are mounted in parallel relationship by means of end members 198 on a base 200. A longitudinal hydraulic cylinder 202 and a piston rod 204 are attached to the base 200 and the intermediate plate 176 by a base tab 206 and an intermediate tab 208, respectively. When the cylinder 202 is actuated to extend the piston rod 204, the intermediate plate 176 along with the container 34 moves toward the right a distance approximately equal to the length of the container 34 in order to move the strand from one end of the container to the other. The directions and magnitude of movement are indicated by the arrows in FIG. 18.

The strand can be moved from one end of the container to the other, along one side thereof, by the action of the longitudinal cylinder 202. When the strand reaches the end of the container 34, the transverse cylinders 178 and 180 go into action and move the container 34 transversely so that the strand moves to the other side of the container 34. The longitudinal cylinder 202 is then actu ated in the opposite direction to move the strand longitudinally of the container 34 along the opposite side. When reaching the first end again, the transverse cylinders 178 and 180 are actuated in the opposite direction to bring the strand back to the starting point and to complete a rectangular path. In a specific instance, the container 34 is 16" long and 4" wide with the longitudinal cylinder 202 having a stroke and the transverse cylinders 178 and 180 each having a 1 /2 stroke to provide a 3" transverse movement. The container 34 is moved longitudinally at a rate of approximately one foot per second and is moved transversely at a rate of approximately two teet per second. The loops of the strand 24 extend outwardly about A2% on each side of a center line of the strand path. The strand package is built to a predetermined height of 8", after which the container 34 is removed and replaced with an empty one with the strand 24 being thrown to one side by oscillation of the pulling wheel during replacement of the container.

The traversing table 36 provides relative movement between the strand 24 and the container 34 with a component parallel to the longitudinal sides and a second component at a sharp angle, 90 in this instance, to the first. The directions of the two components define a plane perpendicular to the path of the strand. It is possible, however, to oscillate the pulling wheel 28 and the oscillator 30 in the manner generally shown in FIG. 8 to provide at least one of the components of relative movement, for example, longitudinally of the container. The container 34 then can provide a second component by moving laterally, with this component periodically reversed.

As the strand is built up in the container 34, it is deposited on a collecting plane which moves closer to the oscillator 30. In some instances, it may be desired to keep the distance constant to maintain more uniformity in the strand. For this purpose, the base 200' can be lowered as strand is built up in the container to lower the container at the same rate at which the strand is built up. The base can be mounted on a suitable hydraulic cylinder or connected to a suitable gear drive for this purpose.

Controls for the traversing table 36 are shown somewhat schematically in FIG. 20. Here, hydraulic fluid from a reservoir 210 is supplied by a pump 212 to a supply manifold 214 and returned through a return or relief manifold 216 to the reservoir 210. The hydraulic fluid is supplied to either end of the cylinder 202 through lines 218 and 220 by means of a 4-way solenoid valve 222. Similarly, hydraulic fluid is supplied to either end of the cylinder through lines 224 and 226 by means of a solenoid valve 228. Hydraulic fluid for the cylinder 178 is supplied through lines 230 and 232 as controlled by a 4-way solenoid valve 234. In this instance, the valves 228 and 234 are operated simultaneously so that the cylinders 178 and 180 act, in effect, as a single cylinder. When hydraulic fluid is supplied to the cylinders 202, 180 and 178, the return fluid is forced through an orifice of predetermined size, so that the fluid within the cylinder .is always under pressure whereby movement of the cylinders and the container will be smoother than otherwise possible. The three valves 222, 228 and 234, in this instance, are actuated by means of a timer 236 which is of the cam type having rotating cams of predetermined configurations to close and open electrical lines for the three valves. Other suitable controls can be used, of course, such as limit switches actuated when the container 34 reaches the limits of its movements.

It is to be understood that the strand as specifically shown in FIGS. 2123 is only for purposes of illustration and explanation and these figures are not intended to depict the strand in the resulting package as it actually appears in practice. The main difference between the strand in these figures and in actuality is that the strand loops of the actual package are much closer together and cannot be distinguished as readily as in FIGS. 21-23.

The container 34 with a package 238 of the strand 24 is shown in FIG. 21. The package 238 basically includes a path having two parallel rows indicated at 240 and 242 of the strand 24, which rows are parallel to longitudinal side walls 244 of the container 34. The strand 24 falls into loops 246 as it is deposited in the rows 240 and 242 with each new pair of loops overlapping the previous laid ones but displaced slightly toward the end of the container 34 which is moving toward the path of the strand. Because of this overlap, each time the container 34 moves through one path, its height is built up approximately A1" more, depending upon the .speed of the strand 24 being laid in the container 34 and on the speed at which the container 34 is moved longitudinally. Thus, the height of the package 238 is increased approximately /4" each time the container 34 completes one cycle, moving from one of the rows 240 and 242 to the other at one end and then moving over the rows in the reverse direction. The strand is repeatedly collected back and forth over the path until reaching a predetermined thickness which is preferably more than the width of the path.

At the time the empty container 34 is moved into position, and the pulling wheel 28 is moved to its operating position, the strand 24 is swung over an end or side of the container 34 to leave a tail indicated at 248 in FIG. 14. When the strand is subsequently unwound or run Off from the package 238, the tail 248 can be tied to an end such as a leading end 250 of another package so that continuous operation can be maintained very easily. Further, the end 250 of the package 238 is easily found because it too will drape over the container 34 when the pulling wheel 28 is swung out of the way.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 22, the same container 34 includes a package indicated at 252 with a path which includes three rows 254, 256 and 258 of the strand 24. Otherwise, the package 252 is substantially the same as the package 238. Loops 260 of the strand 24 are shorter than the loops 246, however, so that the three rows 254, 256 and 258 of the strand 24 do not overlap to any extent. The package 252 is formed with the same '9 traverse table 36 with the transverse cylinders 178 and 180 operated individually and at opposite ends of the container 34. Thus, after the longitudinal cylinder 202 has moved the container 34 through the first row 254, the transverse cylinder 180 is actuated to move the container 34 laterally a distance equal to roughly one-half its width. When the cylinder 202 is actuated in the opposite direction to move the container through the row 256, the second transverse cylinder 178 is then actuated to move the container 34 the remaining distance across the width, after which the longitudinal cylinder 202 is again actuated to complete the row 258. At this time, the procedure is reversed with the container 34 then moving in exactly the reverse path, back over the rows 258, 256, and 254 in the reverse direction. In the reverse movement, the cylinder 178 is retracted at the end of the row 258 and the cylinder 180 is subsequently retracted at the end of the row 256. The reverse direction of the strand over the path enables the package to be built more uniformly. If the strand always traveled in the same direction, the rows would be higher at the ends toward which the strand traveled.

Referring to FIG. 23, a package indicated at 262 1s shown in a container 264 having a bottom wall or collecting surface 266 and a cylindrical side wall 268. In this instance, the package is formed in two circular rows or paths 270 and 272, both of which are parallel to the side wall 268, or to the outer surface of the package 262. The container 264, in this instance, is used in conjunction with a rotating transverse table which moves in opposite directions transversely to the rows 270 and 272 after a predetermined number of revolutions or t1me to move the rows 270 and 272 alternately under the downward path of the strand 24. The pulling wheel 28 can also be oscillated laterally to accomplish this. Loops 274 of the strand in the package 262 can be longer, similar to the loops 246 of FIG. 21, or shorter, similar to the loops 260 of FIG. 22, depending upon the diameter of the container 264.

While the above three packages 238, 252, and 262 have been shown in conjunction with containers 34 and 264, it is to be understood that these packages can be built up without any container, unless very high packages are desired. In fact, these packages can even be shipped without the associated containers, if otherwise properly covered, after the binder has dried and the packages then have a considerable amount of integrity.

When a package such as the package 238 in the con tainer 34 is to be run off, a top 276 can be placed thereon as shown in FIG. 24. The top 276 has a slot 278 running the length thereof and through which the strand 24 is pulled. The main purpose of the slot 278, which can also be formed by means of two parallel bars lying on the top of the container 34, is to pull more effectively the strand 24 away from the side wall-s of the container 34 during runoff. If the binder or size on the strand has dried, the strand may have a tendency to stick to the sides of the container 34 and if pulled straight up in such an instance, it may tend to be fiberized or broken up. By employing the slot 278, the fiber tends to be pulled more laterally away from the side wall to which it is adhered and thus is peeled off without damage. The slot 278 also helps to separate any wads of strand which tend to be pulled from the package 238.

While the strand when run off of the package can be used for a wide variety of purposes, for textile use, it can be wound on to a tube 280 of FIG. 24 which is mounted on a suitable collet 282 driven by a motor 284. In many instances, the tube 280 will be vertically mounted on a spindle and the strand is twisted as it is wound thereon. As the strand is wound on the tube 280, it is traversed by a traversing rod 286 after running through a guide eye 288.

It is necessary that a tension device be employed with the strand during runoff, in many instances, because there oil? or unwound from a spool.

lish uniform tension in the strand 24. The device 290 is shown in more detail in FIG. 25 and includes a first guide rod 292 through which the strand is pulled, a first tension member 294, an intermediate rod 296, a second tension member 298, and a second guide rod 300. The tension members 294 and 298 are essentially similar and only the member 294 will be discussed in detail. The tension member 294 includes strand contacting rods 302 and 304 around which the strand 24 is passed on opposite sides. The rods 302 and 304 are connected to side bars 306 which have axles 308 rotatably mounted in longitudinal frame members 310. Coil springs 312 are wrapped around the axles 308 andare connected to both the frame members 310 and the side bars 306. The springs 312- thereby urge the tension members in directions tending to pull on or shorten the strand 24 and thus place the strand under tension as it is run off. The springs can be inserted in any of holes 314 in the side members 310 to vary the amount of tension on them. The tension members 294 and 298 also oscillate between the longitudinal frames 310 to take up undue temporary slack in the strand 24; This might occur, for example, if several loops of the strand 24 are removed from the package at once and must be straightened out at the'slot 278 or the guide rod 292, for example, before more strand is removed.

Various modifications of the above described embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that such modifications Will be within the scope of the invention, if they are within the spirit and tenor of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A method of collecting a strand of filaments comprising moving a strand in a predetermined path, deflecting the strand to opposite sides of the path to cause each sequential portion of the strand to form a horizontal figure eight pattern, collecting the strand on a surface, providing relative movement between the strand path and the surface, and repeating the same relative movement to build the strand up on the surface to a predetermined thickness.

2. In a method of making a package of glass strand comprising establishing a pool of molten glass, attenuating a plurality of fine filaments from the pool, gathering the filaments into a strand, and moving the strand in a predetermined path, the improvement comprising deflecting the strand to opposite sides of the path to cause each sequential portion of the strand to form a horizontal fig- ,ure eight pattern, collecting the strand along a predetermined collection path on a surface, said collection path having at least two directions lying in a plane intersecting the strand path, and continuing to deposit the strand in the predetermined collection path until the strand is built up thereon to a predetermined thickness.

3. An oscillator for producing loops in a strand comprising a generally circular body having two faces, each of which has a plurality of recesses disposed peripherally around generally circular edges thereof, the recesses at each face being uniformly spaced from each other and from the nearest recesses on the opposite face.

4. The method of collecting an integral strand of filaments comprising imparting a high velocity axial motion to the integral strand, impinging the moving strand against a moving first deflecting surface at a speed sufiicient to deflect the strand therefrom in another direction to a predetermined collection area, impinging the moving strand against a second moving deflecting surface at a speed sufficient to deflect the strand therefrom in still another direction to the predetermined collection area, and moving said deflecting surface in the direction of move- 1 1 ment of the strand at a speed such that the deflected strand is retained in its integral form.

5. The method of collecting an integral strand of filaments comprising imparting a high velocity axial motion to the integral strand, impinging the moving strand against a rotating deflecting member at a speed sufficient to deflect the strand therefrom in another direction sharply divergent from the plane of rotation of said member to a predetermined collection area, and rotating said de fleeting member in the direction of movement of the strand with a peripheral velocity sufficient to prevent dis persion of the strand and below a velocity sufiicient to disperse the strand and break filaments thereof.

6. An oscillator for periodically deflecting strand on each side of a path, said oscillator comprising a generally circular body having recesses disposed at the edge thereof, with adjacent recesses facing on opposite sides of said body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 988,444 4/1911 Corley et a1 242 153 X 2,729,027 1/1956 Slayter et a1. 659 2,729,030 1/1956 Slayter 659 X 2,954,180 9/1960 Crum 24283 3,013,096 12/1961 Glaser 65-12 X 3,041,662 7/1962 Cochran 65-11 X 3,052,010 9/1962 Martin 2821 3,071,301 1/1963 Benson et a1 6511 X FOREIGN PATENTS 597,068 4/1960 Canada.

15 DONALL H. SYLVESTER, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES E. VAN HORN, ROBERT L. LINDSAY,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. A METHOD OF COLLECTING A STRAND OF FILAMENTS COMPRISING MOVING A STRAND IN A PREDETERMINED PATH, DEFLECTING THE STRAND TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PATH TO CAUSE EACH SEQUENTIAL PORTION OF THE STRAND TO FORM A HORIZONTAL FIGURE EIGHT PATTERN, COLLECTING THE STRAND ON THE SUFACE, PROVIDING RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN THE STRAND PATH AND THE SURFACE, AND REPEATING THE SAME RELATIVE MOVEMENT TO BUILD THE STRAND UP ON THE SURFACE TO A PREDETERMINED THICHNESS
 3. AN OSCILLATOR FOR PRODUCING LOOPS IN A STRAND COMPRISING A GENERALLY CIRCULAR BODY HAVING TWO FACES, EACH OF WHICH HAS A PLURALITY OF REDESSES DISPOSED PERIPHERALLY AROUND GENERALLY CIRCULAR EDGES THEREOF, THE RECESSES AT EACH FACE UNIFORMLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND FROM THE NEAREST RECESSES ON THE OPPOSITE FACE. 